WANGANUI RUGBY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 150, 28 June 1943, Page 6

WANGANUI RUGBY

HOME TEAM BEATEN IN WARD SHIELD MATCH CLOSE GAME ON PARK Excellent conditions prevailed for matches played on Saturday afternoon under the control of the Wanganui Rugby Union, on Spriggens Park. The weather was fine and the ground was conducive to fast and open methods. In the principal contest between Wanganui and 24th Field Ambulance, a keen and close match resulted in a win for the visitors by 14 points to 12. Wanganui were unlucky with two kicks, one hit the cross-bar, and one hit the goal-post. The game was the second of the Ser-geant-Pilot J. A. (Jimmy) Ward Memorial Shield series. Leading 6-0 at one stage, the first fifteen of the Wanganui Collegiate School was beaten in a close game, 13- by Pirates A. Played as the curtain-raiser, the match was evenly contested in both sessions. Had the school team possessed an accurate goal-kicker they would at least have drawn with their opponents. On the Racecourse, Waverley 17 beat Pirates B 10, and Kaierau accounted for Technical Old Boys, 17 to 3. Ward Shield Match. In the opening stages on this game team work was lacking on both sides and except for some individual efforts did not provide much to enthuse over. After fifteen minutes of play the rival sides began to infuse more dash into their efforts and the standard of both forward and back play improved with the progress of the game. In an aggressive move the visitors broke through a gap in the home defence. Their backs moved fast, and Opie, the half-back, drew his man well and sent Rodgers ever for a try. The Wanganui forwards were doing well and they were ably led by Pyatt and Almond. A rousing run by Ngatoa had the visitors caught off their balance and play was carried on by the forwards. Near the line Crombie obtained possession and scored. Mackie looked dangerous when he cut through the home inside backs at half-way and straightened up and raced ahead, but Ngatoa came fast from behind to, save well. A try by Fleet put the visitors in front, 6-3. The Ambulance side lost Hollis, their full-back, who received an injury and had to leave the field. E. Orange came on and Rodgers went from the five-eighths line to full-back, Orange taking the vacant five-eighths position. Before half-time PV terson kicked a penalty goal and Vf?bb had scored a try for Wanganui and the score was against the visitors, 9-6. Penalties were frequent on resuming. Led by Fouhy. Purser and Garment, the Ambulance forwards participated in several rugged movements which fully tested the defence, bu the tackling was sound at all points. Wanganui regained lost ground when Northover broke clear from a scrum, and shot a wide pass to Devoy, who jumped clear of a tackle and raced ahead, but Orange made no mistake with his tackle and saved the Ambulance line from being crossed. Wanganui were raiding strongly and a try by Orange saw the teams again on level terms. This success was followed by Christie scoring for Mackie to goal, and Ambulance were front, 14- In a final rally Wanganui rose to it. and Devoy scored. The kick at goal hit the cross-bar and the' match ended: Ambulance 14, Wanganui 12. The teams were: Ambulance.---Hollis. Fleet, Mackie. Christie, Skelley, Rodgers, Opie. Floyers, Plant, King. Carmont, Fouhy. Cole, Purser, and Mazey. Wanganui. - Patterson, Yates, Whale, Webb, Best. Devoy. Ngatoa. Rewi, Almond. Crombie. Logan Pyatt, Waneth, Northover. Lynch. Mr. E. Wahl.strom was the referee. Win for Pirates A. Pirates A beat the Wanganui Collegiate School first fifteen by 13 points to 9 in the curtain-raiser. The highlight of the whole match was the first try scored by Collegiate School. The movement, began in the Pirates' twenty-five. From a ruck the School forwards heeled to Williamson, the half-back. Cooper, the right-hand wing, moved in to make an extra man. Passing flawlessly, the whole of the backs handled at top speed to let Sare go across for a try wide out. Later, Joyce scored in front of the posts. Before the interval, Pirates had regained the lead, tries being scored by P. Adams and Len Head. Head concerted his own try. In the second session Pirates scored a converted try to one unconverted try bv School, the final points favouring Pirates A by a margin of four points. As stated previously, the School team lost their chance of at least equalising the score by lack of accurate goal-kicking. Mr. N. Read was the referee. Draw for Saturday. The following is the draw for matches to be played under the control of the Wanganui Rugby Union next Saturday:— Wanganui v. Visiting team, Spriggens Park. 3 p.m. Senior B.—Waverley v. Kaierau, Spriggens Park, 1.30 p.m.; Collegiate v. Pirates B, College ground No. 1, 2.15 p.m.; Technical College v. Pirates T. Technical ground. 3 p.m.; Technical Old Bovs v. Hawera, Racecourse No. I, 1.30 p.m. Third Grade.—Technical College v. A.T.C., Racecourse No. 2, 1.30 p.m.; Collegiate A v. Collegiate B, to be played during the week; Combined College A and B to play Hawera on College ground No. 2. 2.15 p.m. Fourth Grade. Pirates v. Collegiate A. College ground No. 3, 2.15 p.m.; Kaierau v. Collegiate B. College ground Ng. 4, 2.15 p.m.; Waverley D.H.S. v. Technical College, Technical ground, 1.30 p.m Fifth Grade - Technical v. Intermediate. Intermediate ground, 3 p.m.; Collegiate A v. Collegiate B. College ground No. 5, 2.15 p.m. Sixth Grade.- Technical College v. Intermediate, Intermediate ground. 3 p.m.; College A, a bye. Primary Schools. Wanganui East v. Gonvillc, and Marist v. Castlecliff, Racecourse, 3 p.m. Midgets: Keith Street v. Aramoho, Spriggens Park. 1.20 p.m.; and Marist v. Wanganui East, Spriggens Park, 3 p.m. Rugby Score Board. Dt?ld Ambulance 14, v. Wanganui 12. Senior B.—Pirates A 13, v. Collegiate 9; Waverley 17. v. Pirates B 10; Kaierau 17 v. Technical Old Boys 3. Third Grade.—Technical College 8. v. Collegiate A 6; A.T.C. 16, v. Collegiate B 0. Fourth Grade. —Collegiate A 0, drew with Kaierau 0; Technical College 13, v. Collegiate B 8. Fifth Grade.—Collegiate A 9, v. Intermediate 0; Technical College 18. v. Collegiate 0. Sixth Grade.—Collegiate C 9, v. Intermediate 0.